SUMMER 2020 newsletter The Massachusetts bee...SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE ~President’s message continued from page 1 ~ newsletter and organize great speakers and

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

The Massachusetts Bee

Quarterly Newsletter of the Massachusetts Beekeepers Association

Massachusetts Beekeepers Association

Uniting beekeepers through education, advocacy and sponsorship so as to

protect and foster honeybees and beekeeping in Massachusetts and beyond.

President’s Message

Well things have just been turned upside down this year! We had to cancel our spring conference in Topsfield because we would have exceeded 25 people gathering. We waffled quite a bit but, in the end, had no choice but to cancel. This pandemic has certainly changed our routines. We also had to cancel our Field Day in June at UMass as the campus is closed and not going to reopen until the fall semester starts in September. The good news is that bees are not affected by this crisis and need you to continue to service your colonies. Many of you are getting packages and nucs to replace winter losses. Dr. Kim Skyrm informed us at our last BoD meeting that the bees will be coming in as usual. I do know that suppliers have their trips scheduled for this spring. Also, inspections are still on hold but are expected to resume in May. The only issue is that you won’t be able to attend the hive inspection with the inspector according to MDAR directives.

Many things have changed. Mass Bee has become a new subscriber to Zoom and now has the ability to meet virtually. This makes it easier for all to attend. The general feedback is that board members like the format and find it easy to get issues discussed and finalized. The Board as of now is continuing with our Fall Conference as scheduled for November 7th. The speakers have been secured and as long as we are somewhat back to normal, we will gather

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In This Issue: President’s Message by Peter Delaney

COVID-19, Honey Bees and New Beekeepers: Impact by Mel Gadd

Timeline and Lessons Learned by Mike Garvey

EAS MA 2021 Update by Mary Duane

Tips from the Bee Whisperer by Ken Warchol

Another Article about Varroa Mites by Ed Szymanski

Caring for honey bees in the time of COVID-19 by University of Minnesota Extension

Spring 2020 Legislative Update by Cliff Youse

MDAR Apiary Program Update by Kim Skyrm

UMass Extension - The Research Buzz by Hannah Whitehead

Notices

Membership Application

Photo Credits – left to right: Jay Hubble, Nikki Marie, Ed Karle, and Kevin Smith

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

~President’s message continued from page 1 ~

to support our Massachusetts beekeepers. Please let us know of any thoughts you might have to assist us; your county president is a member of the board and will get your ideas discussed. Your corresponding secretary and the board of director’s have been working diligently to present good information in the newsletter and organize great speakers and relevant topics for all beekeepers. Please assist us by giving us feedback so we can give you what you want and need. The newsletter also invites our members to submit articles to enlighten fellow members and for publication. Our organization is only as good as the members who participate.

Additionally, please keep your membership up to date. You can check your status with our Corresponding Secretary. These funds allow us to continue holding meetings (in person and/or virtually), make deposits on future meeting venues and keep standard business operations current.

Stay Safe in these uncertain times!

Pete

Upcoming Mass Bee

Events:

June 6 - Board of Directors

Meeting

September 19 - Board of

Directors Meeting

October 31 - Board of

Directors Meeting

November 7 - Mass Bee Fall

2020 Meeting

_____________________

Mass Bee Officers 2020 President: Peter Delaney

978-887-5726 [email protected] Vice President:

Mary Duane

[email protected]

Corresponding Secretary:

Kitty de Groot [email protected]

Treasurer:

Phil Guadette [email protected]

_____________________ Web Site:

www.massbee.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MassachusettsBeekeepers

Massachusetts Beekeepers Association Online Application:

https://www.massbee.org/membership/

COUNTY CLUBS CONTINUE TO SERVE MEMBERS

Normally a very busy season with beekeeping classes, bee pickups, and

restart of club meetings, County Clubs have quickly adapted to find

creative approaches to continue to support their members during the

COVID19 pandemic. Examples of approaches from a couple beekeeping

groups are highlighted in this newsletter along with additional

information on beekeeping during this time of COVID-19. But this issue is

not all about COVID-19; we have some very helpful beekeeping tips and

beekeeping information. We hope you enjoy this newsletter.

From the British Beekeepers Association - excerpt from the governments

guidance on beekeeping during COVID-19:

“If you tested positive for COVID-19 or are displaying symptoms of

COVID-19, however mild, you should be self-isolating at home and

should not be visiting other premises. Ideally, another beekeeper should

take on this duty whenever possible. We are suggesting that local

associations consider how they can support those confined or unable to

attend to their bees at this difficult time for all of us.”

The entire guidance document can be found here.

ahhttps://www.bbka.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=ca582298-

174e-4160-9873-818e09aa9a8f

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Covid-19, Honeybees & New Beekeepers: Impact By Mel Gadd

All of our worlds have been turned up-side down with the advent of the Covid-19 virus and its impact on our

daily lives. Hopefully, all of us are staying safe and healthy in these troubling times. Technically, beekeeping is

considered one of the essential businesses that is allowed to continue, especially since the agricultural

community cannot delay their plantings if they want to take advantage of the New England growing season.

Covid-19 has impacted many of the County beekeeping groups programs, and bee schools.

Many of the Bee schools had to switch to an on-line teaching format. The Mass Audubon

Drumlin Farm Beekeeping school ended up finishing our last three class sessions on-line

using a Microsoft meeting format. Unfortunately, due to the shelter in place requirements,

field days with the students had to be either cancelled or postponed until a time that groups

are allowed to gather again.

This has made it hard for the new beekeepers, since they now have to, “go-it-alone” so to speak as

they proceed to start their new hives, install bees and deal with all that goes along with being a new

beekeeper. It has created a challenge for those of us who run bee schools and offer mentor

programs to new beekeepers to help them along on their new journey.

As part of the Drumlin program, we have been offering on-line, texting & phone assistance to help

new beekeepers along on their journeys into beekeeping. In some cases, site visits can occur as

long as all continue to practice social distancing, though I am not sure how many experienced

beekeepers will be willing to risk possible exposure.

The other big impact of the Covid-19 situation on the beekeeping community is the loss of the

Beekeeping club’s monthly gatherings. Many of us look forward to these monthly gatherings to

exchange experiences, learn from others hive openings and gain useful information to help all of us

along on our own beekeeping journeys. Luckily the bees themselves are not affected by the Covid-

19 virus, but no one knows the impact of beekeeper’s inability to properly service their hives during

this crisis.

Hopefully this will change sooner than later so that we all can freely help new beekeepers as well as work with our own bees.

Stay safe and stay healthy,

Mel Gadd, Drumlin Farm Beekeeper

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Timeline and Lessons Learned

By Mike Garvey

The Essex County Beekeepers' Association (ECBA) runs an annual bee school, typically for nine 2½ hour sessions

starting in February. 2020 was no exception, with 65 students enrolled. Classes are held in the Beekeeping Building

on the Topsfield Fairgrounds.

Our bee school started on Feb 18 and continued more or less normally until March 3. It was becoming clear, however,

that we needed to remain fluid. For the March 10 class we advised students that they should not attend if they had

been exposed to COVID-19 or if they had symptoms indicative of COVID-19. We disinfected all commonly used

surfaces and refilled all the soap dispensers, advising that everyone should wash their hands frequently.

As our bee school progressed, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts began to react with formal orders responsive to

the COVID-19 situation. On March 10, a State of Emergency (effective March 11) was declared; on March 15 the K-12

schools were closed. On March 23, gatherings of more than 10 people were prohibited and on March 24 a Stay at

Home advisory was issued. Cancellation of events followed including Mass Bee’s cancellation of its Spring Meeting;

the ECBA cancelled its annual banquet and then its March meeting.

After March 10, we made the decision to halt sessions at the Beekeeping Building and transition to an online format.

I consulted a friend who does most of his work in an online format and he recommended Zoom. My wife, Ellen, and I

did a deep dive into Zoom; we're retired, but spent years in a hi-tech corporate environment where WebEx was the

tool-du-jour. Both Zoom and WebEx have free licenses, but they are quite limited. At $15/month, with up to 100

participants, Zoom was our choice.

We have used MailChimp for communication with bee school students for several years; it works ok except when the

student's spam filter is overly aggressive. Note that attachments to Mail Chimp email is not possible in the traditional

sense; we used Google Drive to store pdf documents that students could access from links in the Mail Chimp message.

A lesson learned is to test all your links before sending.

Our first presentation using Zoom was March 17 with three presenters (and no students) in the Beekeeping Building.

We set up a test meeting on March 16 so that the students could load the

Zoom app and become familiar with how it worked.

We used our overhead pan-tilt-zoom camera for the hands-on presentations.

One student asked (in Zoom chat) about the type of yeast used in mead

making and we were able to zoom in with the ceiling camera to show the

yeast label on Zoom; the student commented that he'd have never been able

to read the label in the normal classroom format. We recorded the March 17

meeting on the host computer and will make it available on loan (Blu-ray

DVD) from the ECBA library. We learned very quickly that it takes more than

one person to run a Zoom meeting effectively. Ellen moderated the chat

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Figure 1 Stan Sample Presenting Mead Making

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

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session, presenting questions from the students to the presenters.

Our next presentation on March 24 had only one presenter present in the Beekeeping Building with the other

presenter working from home; my wife Ellen and I had practiced (4 computers scattered around our home!) Zoom

screen sharing with remote participants and it worked well during the class. We had a short practice session with the

offsite presenter before the class. This time we recorded the class in the Zoom cloud and made it available to students

to view from their homes after the fact. This was our final visit to the Beekeeping Building as the Topsfield Fairgrounds

closed.

Our March 31 class was scheduled to have a demonstration of smoker lighting. We

decided to record the smoker lighting demo (on March 30) in a prior Zoom meeting

(at Geoff Neale's house-would the WiFi work well enough outdoors?--it did!) and

then show the recording as part of the March 31 meeting. We struggled to

understand the best strategy for optimum video recording; whether to download

the Zoom video or to play the video from the Zoom cloud. The subtleties of Zoom

screen sharing a video eluded us in that instance and we had to use our home

camera to display the screen showing the recording. It was comically crude, but

it mostly worked and the students were very appreciative.

Our April 7 class was scheduled to have a demonstration of a package installation. We decided to record this in a prior

Zoom meeting and show the recording during the class with a new understanding of how to share a recorded video.

The package installation was recorded on April 1 at The Colony (NE Beekeeping Supplies) in Tyngsboro. We showed

the video on April 7; it stimulated lots of questions which were answered by Ken Anderson at the end of the showing.

We also took a class portrait on April 7 (Figure 3 shows one page of the portrait).

Figure 3 ECBA Bee School (Zoom) Portrait (partial)

Figure 2 Geoff Neale Demonstrating Smoker Lighting

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

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Our April 14 class was our last; we typically have a short presentation, a lengthy Q&A session and a raffle of prizes

contributed by beekeeping supply vendors. We stipulated that raffle winners had to be present to win; since some

participants aren't accurately identified in the Zoom "presence" (eg there were three "John") the winners would

identify their presence using chat, or, if they struggled with chat, we unmuted all participants before moving the raffle

prize to the next selected student. It worked well. We also hand out diplomas at the last class; we distribute (by email)

these diplomas as individualized pdfs that the students can print and frame.

We had 33 raffle items; normally they'd be distributed at the last class.

Additionally, we had Varroa alcohol wash jar for each student from the

Massachusetts Division of Agricultural Resources (MDAR). Respecting

the Commonwealth's social distancing guidelines, we decided to use

SignUpGenius to enable the winners to schedule a pickup, at 15 minute

intervals, at a central location. Geoff Neale, who had been the point of

contact for the donating vendors, agreed to host the pickup point. This

system worked well. The pickup point (which ran on the honor system)

is shown in Fig 4.

Lessons Learned. Maybe stating the obvious, take some time to

practice with Zoom including using multiple computers (at one

location, so you can experiment with what is going on). Don't try to run a meeting of more than a few participants

with a single host; add co-hosts with specific responsibilities (e.g. managing chat). The host (and co-hosts) should

have a second computer showing what the participants are seeing; mute the speakers and the microphone of the

second computer to avoid acoustic echo and feedback effects. Screen sharing of screens and, especially videos, is

tricky; we struggled until we learned empirically that Windows Media Player worked smoothly for videos; some others

do not. Control screen sharing (deny participant screen sharing) to allow only hosts and co-hosts. Practice

beforehand, particularly with remote presenters who are using Zoom for the first time. Advise your audience that

while participation in Zoom meetings on a smart phone is possible, a computer provides a much better experience.

Zoom has the capability to record meetings which can be subsequently viewed or downloaded. Having limited time

to think this through, the following concerns arose: a) would downloaded copies of the classes erode our bee school

attendance in years to come? b) would presenters have ownership (e.g. copyright) of the material and be opposed to

downloadable copies? We decided to make the recordings viewable, but not downloadable, by the students.

This would not have been possible without the contributions of my wife Ellen; she moderated all our sessions, taking

care of the chat sessions and helping me dig my way out of never-before-encountered situations. The Bee School

Chair, Randy Johnson, played a key role in recruiting and keeping the presenters engaged. Geoff Neale, a key member

of our Bee School Committee, went above and beyond to support the transition to an on-line format. Many other

ECBA members responded to beekeeping questions during the chat sessions.

Figure 4 Pickup Location

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Mass Bee is looking for your level of interest

MBA is looking into creating a specialty license plate focused on pollinators (Pollinator plate) with the goal of increasing pollinator awareness and raise funds to further promote and protect pollinators. Several states have already created pollinator specialty license plates. A few examples of these license plates are shown below.

The price of the Pollinator plate would include a premium fee of $40 on top of the normal Massachusetts license plate fee. The plates would be valid for a period of two years. For the initial purchase of the Pollinator plate, roughly 60% of the premium fee would go to MBA; upon renewal after two years, 100% of the premium fee would go to MBA.

There are several steps required to obtain approval from the Commonwealth including posting a bond and coming up with a design for the plate, which MBA is willing to do. However, there is a significant step and threshold that must be met before the application for a Pollinator plate can be submitted for approval which is obtaining 750 pre-orders; we cannot apply for the Pollinator plate until we have the 750 pre-orders. Pre-orders consist of a completed application form for each plate along with a check for $40 for each; once the application is submitted to the Commonwealth the $40 fee is not refundable.

Before MBA continues to move forward and expending funds on a required bond and developing a design for the plate, we are asking all our members and county club members to provide us feedback on your level of interest in purchasing a Pollinator plate.

While we know your final decision may hinge on the actual look of the plate, we would like to know if you would be interested in purchasing a Pollinator license plate. To express your interest and provide feedback, please click on the link below.

https://forms.gle/ngdhesJfTGGHHjA97

Please respond by May 30, 2020.

Once we have received and reviewed responses, we will decide on whether to move forward.

Thank you,

Pete Delaney President MBA

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

EAS MA 2021 – UPDATE

It was with much regret that the Eastern Apicultural Society’s (EAS) Executive board

and board of directors voted to cancel its annual short course and conference that was

going to be held this summer at the University of Maine at Orono. An extensive

amount of planning and effort was put in by the Maine planning team to put on an

outstanding conference. However, the safety and well-being of all its members out

weighted the risk of holding the conference this year. It was also decided that the 2021

conference will still take place at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst

during from July 26-July 30th.

EAS is working on providing to its membership a webinar series during the coming

months to cover some of the outstanding research that would have been presented at

the Maine Conference. So please stay tuned and consider supporting EAS during these

trying times if you want to be included in their upcoming webinar series. You can join

the EAS at easternapiculture.org. It really is a great way to take your beekeeping to

the next level and support a nonprofit organization that mission is to support

beekeeper education and honeybee research

Congratulations to the EAS Massachusetts 2021 logo design contest winner Colleen

Neutra. She is a beekeeper and graphic artist from the Norfolk County Beekeepers

association. Her awesome design will be used on all publications and the conference T-

shirts. Thanks to all the artists who entered this contest- the designs were all so very

creative.

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

As you know from your own lives, it is very difficult in these times planning for anything

in the future. However, the EAS Massachusetts 2021 planning committee has been

working hard organizing the Massachusetts EAS conference next summer. The

following key speakers have accepted an invitation to present:

Dr. Tom Seeley Dr. Sam Ramsey Dr. Tammy Horn-Potter

Paul G. Kelly Erin MacGregor-Forbes Heather Mattila

Bill Hasbeck Scott McArt

An EAS Massachusetts website is currently being designed - Please check the MBA

website for a link to it.

If you like to join the EAS planning team- all are welcome- please contact Mary Duane

at [email protected]

Winning logo design by Collee Neutra

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

TIPS FROM THE BEE WHISPERER By Ken Warchol

The brood rearing season started in mid-December this year for the second year in a row. This has led to a quick

spring build-up in overwintered hives which had plenty of winter stores to carry them through. Many beekeepers

were not so fortunate and lost large numbers of colonies. The early spring looked

promising but that quickly changed to a wet, cold and rainy spring with few warm

days for the bees to get out and forage. The bees lost most of the maple and

pussy willow nectar and pollen flow which allow the bees to continue the build-up.

Here we are in May and the weather has not yet given the bees a break. Many of us

have resorted to some supplemental feeding. However, some hives have exploded

while others are lagging behind and I find a wide spectrum of colonies from very strong

to weaker ones causing me to manage that wide spectrum feeding some while already

doing swarm prevention in others. This is very challenging. On April 17th, I went into 2

colonies that each had 4 and 5 swarm cells that were nearly capped and ready to

swarm. The problem was that these early queens will not get mated with this cold

rainy weather and so I decided to cut out the queen cells and depopulate these strong

hives and put 3-4 brood frames into my package hives to beef them up quickly to make them into honey

producers. I replaced the pulled-out brood frames with built out combs, so the old queen has plenty of space to

lay. One of the hives had 11 frames of brood and the other had 10. The congestion set off swarming even that

early. Most overwintered colonies are running with about 7-8 frames of brood and building quickly. Swarm season

is here in many locations and approaching in others. Beekeepers with overwintered hives should be vigilant and

make splits to ease up overcrowding. Over the years of beekeeping (too many to remember) I have found that

queens can get properly mated from the 3rd week of May on through September. Earlier than that, I find non-

mated or poorly mated queens.

This is now the time, on the first 60 plus degree day, to get into your overwintered hives and give them a thorough

check and cleaning. This is the time to evaluate your queen and see if she is doing the job with a nice brood

pattern. A spotty brood pattern at this time is not going to improve. A supercedure cell usually indicates the bees

are unhappy with the queen. This early it may be better to cut out the cell and replace the queen with a tested

queen that you buy.

You should evaluate the colony for any kind of abnormality or disease. Do you see punctured or sunken brood

cappings? Do you see any yellow or brownish uncapped larva? Remember that once capped, the larva or pupa

should not be uncapped until hatching time. Do the bees look normal or are any deformed, look strange or not

right? You could have some bacteria or virus at work. It is best to catch it early and be able to turn it around

before it is too widespread. Call a bee inspector or a mentor for advice.

This is also a good time to cull out poor frames. You want frames that have mostly worker bee cells and are not so

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

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old and dark black and too old. Hives with very old comb seem to carry much more bacteria and pesticide

buildup. I like to replace 2-3 old frames yearly in a hive. This keeps your colony with frames that are no more than

6-7 years old. This is also the time to clean off your bottom board from winter debris, wax, mites, and scrape off

the frame rails on your brood chambers, so the frames move more freely. This is also the time to flip over your

inner cover with the deeper rim up.

You should check to see if you have at least 8-9 frames available for brood space for the queen to lay and build up

the colony. This is the minimum you need for a building colony to reach peak strength. If you have too much

honey and pollen left from the previous fall (honey/pollen bound) you need to rectify the situation by putting in

some empty built out frames to give the queen space especially with new nectar and pollen coming in. You can

put your honey supers on at this point, so the bees do not honey bound the chamber with new nectar. This also

alleviates overcrowding in those really strong hives and helps to prevent swarming. However, this does not

guarantee it. You need to do weekly swarming checks from this point on. This is a big challenge to keep your bees

home. There are multiple swarm prevention methods. Feel free to call me in what I feel is the best method. Last

year the nectar flow started May 13th and did not end until September 29th. That is the day it ended and from that

day on, my honey house had robber bees trying to get in. I remove my entrance reducer at the end of May.

Just as the bees are building up their numbers, so are the varroa mites. The month of May through July are also

key build-up months for the mites and the period you want to start monitoring for mites. I usually find that the

strong colonies start reaching the threshold numbers where colonies need to be treated the first time to de-

populate mite levels. Each colony is different and that is why monitoring is important from this point on through

the season. I usually find the end of June, the end of August, and the middle of October on are key periods in

which I treat for mites. Also important is to encourage nearby beekeepers to do the same. We will discuss this

issue further in the next newsletter. I find mites as my greatest challenge in beekeeping. However, there are many

challenges that make the hobby of beekeeping exciting. It is a hobby of trials and tribulations. A great honey flow

last season followed by a large overwintering loss of colonies.

Now to address new beekeepers on what you should be monitoring. Once your package is dumped into your hive

there are many challenges as well. Once your queen is released you should check in 5-7 days to make sure your

queen is laying if the new foundation is drawn out for her. This takes feeding your colony constantly, so the bees

have enough not only to build wax but to also feed the young larva. It is also essential to give them pollen patties

to feed the young bees especially during this cold rainy spring when bees cannot get out to forage. We have had

starved packages due to no syrup for 3-4 days. It is best to put half bottles and check more often to refill. It is also

easier for the bees to keep it warm to consume it. Always give them room temperature syrup. There is nothing

more hurtful to a beekeeper than a starved colony that was your fault.

Once the bees start capping the cells with the larva you should check to make sure the cappings are flat (worker

brood) and not bullet shape which indicate a drone laying queen. You do not want this because you will get all

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

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drones. This is a no-no. Call your dealer and let them know ASAP and get another queen and replace the drone

layer. Your colony will go down quick if you do not act on this. Also check for supercedure queen cells in the

colony. This is also common with package hives. This early the supercedure queen cannot get mated. Cut out the

cell if the queen is still in the hive and if they do it again you may want to replace the original queen. Let your

supplier know and ask what you should do in this situation.

Your colony will grow slowly but surely. You will watch them draw frame by frame out with wax and the queen

following filling the cells with eggs. This is exciting watching the nurse bees feeding the larva, guard bees at the

entrance, wax building bees in chains drawing wax and the queen laying eggs. On warm days study the bees while

inspecting your hive on a weekly basis, (yes that is right) on a weekly basis. Things can change quickly and you

need to catch abnormalities early and take action. As the new bees start hatching the colony will grow as you

have more bees to keep the brood warm and the queen can expand the brood nest. You will eventually see more

foragers coming in with different color pollens and nectar. This represents a healthy hive if it continues to grow by

leaps and bounds. After a month, the first chamber should be drawn out. Once you have 7-8 frames drawn out

with brood, it is time to add your second brood chamber. You still will be feeding sugar syrup to build out your

second chamber. You may be able to stop pollen patties if you see plenty of natural pollen stored at this point.

Evaluate this on your weekly check. It will be exciting to see your colony grow.

You will not face swarming issues until later in the season and mite issues until your hive builds to full strength

sometime in early August. Hopefully you do not face any stumbling blocks but that is not the norm. The fun is

facing the challenges. There is no year more challenging for a beekeeper than the first year as you learn how to

work with your bees. This brings nervousness, anticipation and hope to you. Enjoy it and we will follow up with

more for new beekeepers in the next newsletter. If you have any questions, feel free to call me at 508 680

3440. Ladies, no social calls as my wife gets jealous!!! For now, best of luck in this new adventure.

Best in Beekeeping

Ken Warchol

Photos by Kitty de Groot

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

ANOTHER ARTICLE ABOUT VARROA MITES

I’m have modified a previous article, because this is still what I want to say about mites and mite

control. I really feel that everyone needs to understand why mite control is so important to the

survival of our bees, and our neighbors’ bees. I don’t think everybody

does yet.

So please read this, even if you read it before. I firmly believe that you

can’t fix something until you know how it works. We all need to

understand this well before we set out to do something about it.

It’s never too early to start thinking about getting our bees ready

for winter. In fact, we’re always getting our bees ready for winter.

The key is having them healthy and well-nourished before the winter bees are raised.

I continue to see posts and hear questions asking “Why did my bees die? I treated for mites” and

“Why does it matter what parts of the bee Varroa mites feed on?” and “When is the right time to

treat for mites?” The answers are related - It’s all about getting our mites and viruses under control

before the winter bees are raised. We start thinking about it in May, not in August.

You may be somewhat familiar with the idea of “fat bees” – the workers that live for an extended

period of time and carry the colony through the winter until spring when new brood can be raised.

Honey bees have “fat bodies”, sections of tissue in the abdomen which act in a similar way to our

liver and also store fat, glycogen, proteins and enzymes. In the summer, the fat bodies are small or

nonexistent in workers, but in the early fall when natural pollen supplies are getting short, a new

batch of workers are raised - workers with enlarged fat bodies, and these are the workers that will

live through until spring. We call them “fat bees” or “winter bees”.

The secret is a compound called Vitellogenin, which resides in the bees’ fat bodies. Vitellogenin is

a glycolipoprotein, having properties of a sugar, a fat and a protein. I’m not going to get too

technical, I’m not a scientist. I do know that it has some very important qualities. It serves an

immune system function. It acts as an antioxidant that prolongs the bees’ lifespan. And, it allows

nurse bees to make royal jelly even when there’s no natural pollen available. You can see that this

bee “fountain of youth” (Randy Oliver, Fat Bees, pt. 1) plays a critical role in raising healthy winter

bees.

Dr. Sam Ramsey proved that Varroa mites feed on the fat bodies of the bee rather than the

hemolymph (blood). Varroa populations tend to maximize in August/September – when the winter

bees are being raised! The Vitellogenin stores in the winter bees are compromised by the Varroa

mites feeding on them. Lower Vitellogenin levels shorten the lifespan of the winter bees, so colony

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

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populations dwindle in the late winter, and, since the nurse bees’ ability to make food for the new

brood is compromised, there are few new bees being added to the population, right when they

need it.

This is very important! Perhaps that explains how your bees died – they seemed to be making it

through January, no Varroa collapse occurred – you thought they were going to be ok, but the

population decreased because the compromised winter bees were dying too early, and new brood

wasn’t being raised fast enough, until the population got so small, they weren’t able to keep the

cluster warm.

“They were doing fine until that March cold snap killed them”. But, you see, the cold did not really

kill your bees, the mites did! When you understand this, you understand why mite control is so

important.

This teaches us is that our Varroa mite levels must be under control by mid-to-late August. Testing

should be done monthly, starting in May, and treatment should occur when mite loads reach a

threshold that you have decided on. Most people use 2% (6 mites in a 300 bee sample, with an

alcohol wash). How can you know when to treat if you don’t know your mite load?

Personally, Marian and I have modified our testing and treatment regimen to take this all into

account. You have to think these things through and take it very seriously. If our mite counts are

increasing even slightly by the end of August, we are going to treat to get the mite load down as

the queen is starting to lay the eggs that will become the winter bees. We like to use the formic

acid product (MAQS or Formic Pro), because it is the only treatment that gets under the cappings

to kill the mites in the brood where they are reproducing. If you prefer Oxalic Acid Vapor (OAV),

you should do it 3 consecutive weeks to get through a full brood cycle. Killing the mites

reproducing in the brood is critical. If you only do a late treatment, without knowing what your

levels were, you may kill a bunch of mites, but it’s a false sense of security because your winter

bees are already compromised.

A late fall Oxalic Acid (drip or vapor) treatment helps to knock down the winter mite population.

This helps because phoretic (on the bees) mites can live through the winter, just waiting for that

spring brood so they can start reproducing again.

We will continue to test, observe, and make decisions based on those results and will never keep

bees strictly by the calendar. It just doesn’t work. Things are always changing, and we need to be

aware of what’s happening in our colonies at all times.

As late summer comes, remember to monitor your food stores as well. Pollen and nectar can be

short in August/September, just when your bees need the best possible nutrition they can get.

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

~continued from previous page~

Food shortages may cause queens to suspend laying, and if she doesn’t recover in time, the

winter bee population will be decreased. Let all of your beekeeping activities have the same goal in

mind - HEALTHY WINTER BEES!

In case you need additional incentive, I will leave you with this thought – having healthy winter

bees means large spring populations, which means INCREASED HONEY PRODUCTION!

-Ed Szymanski

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Insert article from University of Minnesota here

Please note that the links embedded in this article do not work – please click anywhere on this page to access the online

document and active hyperlinks.

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Insert article from University of Minnesota here

Please note that the links embedded in this article do not work – please click anywhere on this page to access the online

document and active hyperlinks.

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Insert article from University of Minnesota here

Please note that the links embedded in this article do not work – please click anywhere on this page to access the online

document and active hyperlinks.

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Spring 2020 Legislative Update By Cliff Youse

As many of you may recall, last year Representative Dykema supported the FY2020 Budget appropriation of

$100,000.00 in Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) item 2511-0100 for the department to “conduct a

scientific review of the potential impacts of neonicotinoid insecticides on pollinators.”. The language also stipulated that

“the subcommittee shall hold at least 1 public hearing on the findings of the scientific review”.

As was reported in the previous update, last December, an environmental consulting company that was contracted

by MDAR called Industrial Economics, Inc completed its review of neonic impacts and sent a memorandum

summarizing its findings to MDAR. The review found that 42 of 43 impact-based studies cite neonicotinoids as a

significant factor in the unsustainable losses of pollinators of which we are all so acutely aware. It also specifically

mentions that the only studies that have mixed results are industry funded.

Due to the COVID-19 situation, the Neonics Scientific Literature Review Public Hearing that was originally

scheduled for March 13, 2020 was postponed and the deadline for submitting written testimony was extended.

The review submitted by the independent contractor makes a compelling case for the passage of Representative

Carolyn Dykema’s bill, H.763 – An Act to protect Massachusetts pollinators. It is therefore crucial that beekeepers

of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts provide written testimony supporting this legislation in response to the

review documents, both as individuals and as beekeeping associations.

What is needed at this point is for the Presidents of the County Beekeepers Associations to urge their membership

and their organizations to take action and send individual and organizational testimonial letters stating that the

review submitted by the independent contractor documents that an overwhelming body of science and research

demonstrating the catastrophic effects on pollinators of neonicotinoid pesticides is valid and makes the case for the

passage of H.763.

Written testimony should be submitted to the Pesticide Board Subcommittee by e-mail to [email protected]

or by mail to Taryn LaScola-Miner, 251 Causeway Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02114-2151.

This review submitted by the independent contractor removes the last obstacle preventing the legislative leadership

from supporting H.763. It removes any lingering doubt that the overwhelming body of science and research

demonstrating the catastrophic effects on pollinators of neonicotinoid pesticides is valid.

The review documents that were submitted by the independent contractor can be downloaded from View the full

text of the Neonics Scientific Literature Review and View the Neonics Scientific Literature Review Framework.

Please refer to the table on the next page for a list of other pending pollinator related legislation that was heard last

fall at the November 12 hearing.

~continued on next page~

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

~continued from previous page~

Legislation Included in the November 12 ENRA Hearing at the Statehouse

Bill Bill Title Sponsor

H.763 An Act to protect Massachusetts pollinators Carolyn C. Dykema

H.776 An Act empowering towns and cities to protect residents and the environment from harmful pesticides

Dylan A. Fernandes

H.791 An Act relative to improving pesticide protections for Massachusetts schoolchildren

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

H.792 An Act relative to the prohibition of the transfer or use of glyphosate in the Commonwealth

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

H.818 An Act to protect pollinator habitat Mary S. Keefe

H.837 An Act to study the feasibility of creating and implementing a gypsy moth spraying program

Mathew J. Muratore

H.850 An Act relative to mosquito control Elizabeth A. Poirier

H.4146 An Act to upgrade hen welfare and establish uniform cage-free standards

Daniel Cahill

H.4159 An Act authorizing the town of Nantucket to supply itself and its inhabitants with water

Dylan A. Fernandes

S.432 An Act to restrict the use of pesticides around children William N. Brownsberger

S.444 An Act relative to the pesticide board Julian Cyr

S.447 An Act empowering towns and cities to protect residents and the environment from harmful pesticides

Julian Cyr

S.463 An Act protecting pollinators by eliminating harmful products

James B. Eldridge

S.497 Resolve to protect pollinator habitat Jason M. Lewis

S.499 An Act relative to the use of glyphosate on public lands Jason M. Lewis

S.531 An Act relative to pesticide applications Bruce E. Tarr

~continued on next page~

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

~continued from previous page~

For those who are interested in learning more about the Massachusetts legislative process there are several useful

resources available. The Audubon Society has a couple of nice flow charts on The Legislative Process and on the

Budget Process. Mass Legal Services has a page about The Legislative Process in Massachusetts and there is also a

downloadable document on the state legislature’s website entitled How An Idea Becomes A Law - Massachusetts

Legislature. They also have a useful Find My Legislator tool for anyone who is unsure who their legislators are.

Ag Day on the Hill 2020 – Cancelled

Ag Day on the Hill is an event that is designed to showcase agriculture from all over the state.

Unfortunately, like many other events, Ag Day 2020 was cancelled due to COVID19. THANK YOU to all the

clubs that collected honey for the event – you are ahead of the game for Ag Day 2020!

Thanks to Sue Robinson who has coordinated the event for several years.

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Apiary Program Update Summer 2020

COVID-19 Resources for Beekeepers

Visit the MDAR COVID-19 Resources webpage to read the latest bulletins providing support for beekeepers: https://www.mass.gov/guides/covid-19-resources-for-agriculture.

Request Your 2020 Apiary Inspection Requests NOW!

Routine health inspections are currently postponed until further notice. However, we encourage you to submit your inspection requests so that once we are able to offer the service we can schedule efficiently: https://www.mass.gov/forms/mdar-apiary-inspection-request-form. Note that per Bulletin 2020-15, we are still inspecting for cases of Emergency (i.e. American Foulbrood and pesticide related bee kills only) so contact us ASAP if these issues arise: [email protected]; 617-626-1801.

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Join the Apiary Program Mailing List

Submit your email address today to stay up to date on our efforts to improve honey bee health in Massachusetts: https://www.mass.gov/forms/join-the-apiary-program-mailing-list.

Apiary Regulations Public Hearings

The public hearings originally scheduled for April 8, 2020 and April 16, 2020 have been postponed. Updated dates and locations will be scheduled in the future.

USDA-ARS Bee Research Lab

The lab is currently NOT accepting any bee samples. Continue to check their website to get updated information.

Packages, Nucs, Colonies and Used Equipment Imports

All imported honey bee packages, nucleus colonies

(nucs), colonies and used equipment brought into the state of Massachusetts require a health certificate and are subject to inspection upon arrival into the state. If purchasing from a supplier, check with them to ensure they have submitted the proper documents to MDAR for your shipment. Please contact the Apiary Program at [email protected] or 617-626-1801 with questions.

Voluntarily Register Your Apiary

A total of 414 beekeepers have registered their apiaries with MDAR since April, 2017 with the new online form: https://www.mass.gov/forms/apiary-and-colony-registration-form. Please consider taking a quick second to register your apiary today so that we can do our best to inform beekeepers and investigate health related issues.

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Participate in the Massachusetts BEE AWARE Honey Bee Health Survey

We are currently at a total of 405 survey responses! Given the interest this year, we are planning to order more signs. Take the survey today and we will send you a sign in the near future!

ZOOM with New England States Apiary Inspectors

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Varroa Mite IPM Webinars

FIGHT THE MITE and check out the newly recorded and available four-part webinar series dedicated to Varroa Mite IPM. Be-e sure to also download the Varroa Mite IPM Plan template and Varroa Mite IPM Brochure when visiting the website: https://www.northeastipm.org/ipm-in-action/the-ipm-toolbox/varroa-mite-ipm-four-part-series-for-a-healthy-hive-in-2020/. You can also request a free alcohol wash sampling kit via email to [email protected].

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Native Pollinator Plant List

Check out this new list created specifically for Massachusetts residents to help you make “bee-friendly” decisions in your “pollinator-inspired” gardens this Spring! https://www.mass.gov/service-details/choosing-pollinator-friendly-native-plants-in-home-gardening-or-landscaping

Honey Bee Hive Pesticide Use

The following is a list of United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) registered pesticide products labeled for use in honey bee hives as miticides for Varroa mites. These product registrations are currently active and will expire on 6/30/2020. Stay up to date on current product registrations and label changes by visiting the Massachusetts Pesticide Product Registration Information website (http://www.kellysolutions.com/MA/searchbypest.asp) and search for “Varroa mite”.

Listed in Order by Product Name (active ingredient): 1. Api-Bioxal (oxalic acid dehydrate), EPA Reg. No. 91266-1-73291; 2. ApiGuard (thymol), EPA Reg. No. 79671-1; 3. Api Life Var (menthol, eucalyptus oil, and thymol), EPA Reg. No. 73291-1; 4. Apivar (amitraz), EPA Reg. No. 87243-1; 5. CheckMite Plus (coumaphos), EPA Reg. No. 11556-138-61671; 6. CheckMite + Bee Hive Pest Control Strip (coumaphos), EPA Reg. No. 11556-138; 7. Formic Pro (formic acid), EPA Reg. No. 75710-3; 8. HopGuard II (potassium salts of hop beta acids), EPA Reg. No. 83623-2; 9. HopGuard III (potassium salts of hop beta acids), EPA Reg. No. 82623-2; 10. Mite Away Quick Strips (formic acid), EPA Reg. No. 75710-2; and 11. Zoecan Apistan Anti-Varroa Mite Strip (fluvalinate), EPA Reg. No. 2724-406

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

~continued from previous page~

These general use products can be applied to individual beekeeper owned hives. If applying to hives other than those owned by the beekeeper, then a pesticide license is required. Visit the following pesticide regulations to learn about the pesticide applicator license: https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/10/30/333cmr10.pdf.

2021 Photo Contest for Massachusetts Agriculture Calendar – Deadline June 1st

Your beekeeping photo could be on next year's

cover! Each month features one full-size photograph portraying a local farm or agricultural product in season. Please submit up to five of your favorite photographs depicting the rich diversity of what we grow and produce in Massachusetts. Beekeeper submissions have been selected in the past so get your camera out and submit! Deadline is June 1st, 2020. https://www.aginclassroom.org/calendar.

Photo by Alix Barsch

Photo by Kitty de Groot

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

UMass Extension Update We hope you are all staying healthy and connected during these challenging times. At the moment, all

UMass Extension staff are working remotely, and many services are suspended. All in-person workshops

are cancelled until further notice. For more information about on-going resources, click here.

We do have some workshops that are tentatively planned for the fall (contingent on safety guidelines at

that time). Registration is currently by email. If you’re interested, reach out to Hannah Whitehead at

[email protected] (payment is at the door, not at the time of registration). Priority will be given to

those who were registered for the cancelled workshops this spring. There are also tentative plans for a

webinar series later this summer – stay tuned!

o Honey Bees Under the Microscope 1.0 Dissect a bee to learn about honey bee internal and external anatomy! Each person takes home a

personal dissecting kit (wax dish, scissors, pins, etc.) 10am-4pm. Cost: $50.

▪ October 17, 2020 – UMass Mt. Ida (Newton MA)

o Honey Bees Under the Microscope 2.0 – Advanced topics For beekeepers who have already taken "Honey Bees Under the Microscope" (above), or others with

microscope experience. Topics covered: dissecting queens/drones, plating tissues, (Nosema/Tracheal

Mite diagnosis if time allows). 9am-12pm. Cost: $40.

▪ December 5, 2020 – UMass Amherst (Amherst MA)

o Fight the Mite! Learn all about mite biology, mite treatment options, miticide safety, and how to create an

integrated mite management plan. This is a hands-on workshop, where you will apply mock

miticides, and create a sample apiary plan. 9am-5pm. Cost: $50. For more information visit:

▪ Fall 2020 (date TBD soon!) – UMass Amherst (Amherst, MA)

For more information about all workshops visit: http://ag.umass.edu/resources/pollinators/honey-

bees/education/umass-extension/bee-workshops.

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

The Research Buzz by Hannah Whitehead, Honey Bee Extension Educator, UMass Amherst, May 2020

Welcome back to the Research Buzz, a recurring column that summarizes some of the newest and coolest in honey bee research. It’s been a challenging spring for everyone. For those of us lucky enough to hunker down at home (and looking for a break from the news) it’s a good time tend to your bees and catch up on the latest research. This week, you will learn about a study from Georgia, where researchers tested the impact of apiary design on inter-colony drift. We’ll also explore two recent studies about the value of urban and suburban yards for pollinators, and review research on screened bottom boards and small hive beetles. We will end with an interesting discovery about bee dance dialects. You can also read this column on the UMass Extension website.

1 Visual Complexity in the Apiary Reduces Drift

Researchers from UGA tested the impact of apiary arrangement on drift, mites and colony growth. In three “uniform” apiaries, they placed eight white hives 1m apart, at the same height and orientation. In three “complex” apiaries, they arranged eight multi-colored hives face- out in a circle, 10m apart, at different heights. Two colonies in each apiary were

inoculated with mites, and all colonies were monitored for two years. Researchers found that foragers in uniform apiaries were 3x more likely to drift, stored less honey, and had higher overwintering mortality. They hypothesize that bees in these apiaries may forage less efficiently due to confused signaling. Inoculated hives in uniform apiaries had the highest mite levels; however, hives in uniform apiaries did not have more mites overall than those in complex apiaries.

Why is this research important?

This study builds on past research about apiary design and mite transmission, which found that dispersed colonies (~20-100m apart) harbor fewer mites, foster less bee drift, and die less frequently than clustered colonies (read here and here). However, it can be inconvenient to place hives far apart, especially if black bears are a concern. This study tested whether hive color, orientation, and height (which can also help bees to correctly identify home), could reduce drift and thereby impact mite transmission and growth. The researchers did not find fewer mites in visually complex apiaries; however, they did find reduced bee drift (which could reduce disease transmission) and other benefits like improved honey production and better overwintering survival.

Read the full study here.

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Mow Less to Help Bees 2 Lawns blanket 50% of US cities and suburbs but can be sterile habitats for wildlife. In this study, UMass researchers asked: if lawns are mowed less frequently, do they support more flowers and benefit more bees? In other words, could they become better pollinator habitats? Researchers collaborated with 16 families in Springfield MA and mowed their lawns every one, two or three weeks for two years. They also recorded the flowers and bees present in each lawn. Unsurprisingly, flowers were most abundant in 3-week lawns and least abundant in 1-week lawns. Pollinators were most abundant in 2-week lawns; the researchers suspect that grass may have started to overshadow the flowers when mowed infrequently.

Additionally, they found that 2-week lawns were aesthetically pleasing to homeowners, while 3-week lawns looked unkempt.

Why is this research important?

This study suggests that homeowners can improve pollinator resources by simply mowing less (the authors call it the “lazy lawnmower” approach to conservation). If you don’t have the time, money or ability to replace your lawn with a pollinator garden, it turns out you can help bees by simply mowing every two weeks, instead of every week!

Read the full study here.

3 Woody Ornamentals are Best for Bees

A multi-university group recently explored another yard favorite: ornamental plants. Ornamental flowers can be showy but may not be attractive or nutritious to bees. Researchers placed honey bee colonies in commercial nurseries and assessed the floral origin of collected pollen. They found very little pollen from herbaceous ornamentals, but copious pollen from some ornamental trees, shrubs and woody vines (such as hydrangea, holly, rose, elderberry, lilac and viburnum). They also found lots of pollen from plants

outside the nursery, including trees (maple, beech, oak, willow), woody plants (sumac, holly), weeds (clover, mustards, plantain), and a variety of fall asters. Why is this research important?

Previous studies have found that a few ornamentals attract ~continued on next page~

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

.

4 Screened Bottom Boards do not Increase Small Hive Beetles Researchers at the USDA bee lab in Baton Rouge LA tested whether screened bottom boards increase small hive beetle (SHB) invasion. They placed 36 colonies in an apiary that had been devoid of bees (and SHB) for several months. Half of the colonies were installed with screened bottom boards, half with solid bottom boards. They then released lab-reared small hive beetles into the apiary. They found equal numbers of SHB in screened and solid bottom board hives, and observed beetles entering through hive entrances, not screens (the beetles are small enough to fit through the screens).

Why is this research important?

Previously, screened bottom boards were thought to encourage SHB infestation because attractive colony volatiles can easily pass out of the hive. This study found that screened bottom board hives were not more attractive to SHB. This means that screened bottom boards can be used for Varroa control and ventilation without increasing susceptibility to small hive beetles.

Read the full study here.

~continued from previous page~

pollinators, but most are ignored. This study also found that a handful of ornamental trees shrubs

and woody vines (as well as wild trees and weeds) accounted for a disproportionate amount of

collected pollen. There are two take-aways from this research: (1) if you are going to plant

ornamentals, woody plants are better for pollinators than showy forbs and (2) wild trees, weeds

and meadow flowers are important resources for bees, even in managed environments. Overall,

there is a need for more research on the value of ornamental (and wild) plants for bees in urban and

suburban habitats

Read the full study here

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Decoding Dance Dialects 5

Since Karl Von Frisch discovered honey bee dance language in the 1940s, researchers have known that different bee species and sub-species have different “dialects”. For all bees, the angle of the dance indicates the direction to the food source, and the length of the dance indicates the distance to the food source. However, the distance “translation” varies by species: in one species, a 3cm dance may indicate a 1/4 mile; in another, a 3cm dance may indicate 2 miles. This variation has vexed researchers. Is it random divergent evolution? Or is it biologically significant?

Recently, researchers from Germany and India found an answer. They recorded honey bees from three species (Apis cerana, A. florea and A. dorsata) as they danced directions to known feeders. They found that the distance translation consistently matched foraging range. In other words, for species with larger foraging ranges, every cm of dance corresponded to a larger distance on the landscape. The researchers also analyzed data on A. mellifera and A. cerana sub-species and found that bees adapted to temperate climates, who had to forage further for food, had similarly adapted dialects. In short, dance dialects are biologically important: they are optimally calibrated to the foraging range of the species or sub-species!

Read the full study here.

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Contact: Hannah Whitehead, UMass Extension, [email protected]

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

NOTICES

2020 Greenfield Langstroth Bee Fest Cancelled

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the decision was made to cancel the

11th annual Langstroth Bee Fest, slated for May 23.

Langstroth Bee Fest is a community collaboration providing important education about

pollinator health and generating widespread appreciation for our honeybees.

The Festival was launched in 2010 as a small gathering focused on children’s activities,

held at the Second Congregational Church. Langstroth—known as the Father of

Modern Beekeeping for his invention of the Langstroth Hive—served as the sixth pastor

of the church in the mid-1800s.

The festival has since grown to become a community-wide endeavor with arts groups,

beekeepers, restaurants, farmer’s market, musicians, and others offering a variety of bee-

centric activities.

~continued on next page~

To have your notice included in the next Mass Bee newsletter, please contact the

editor at: [email protected]

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

~continued from previous page~

Next spring, 2021 Bee Fest attendees can look forward to the unveiling of six large

fiberglass bees, hand-painted by local professional artists (including Colleen Seamon of

Franklin and Worcester Bee Clubs), which will be permanently installed in downtown

Greenfield. (See photo on next page.) Massachusetts Beekeepers Association sponsored a

bee sculpture. Special thanks to Barnstable, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, and Worcester

county bee clubs for their generous contributions.

Fiberglass Bees

The completed bee sculptures will be stored in a local warehouse until their installation next spring.

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Web Site: www.massbee.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MassachusettsBeekeepers

Massachusetts Beekeepers Association Online Application:

https://www.massbee.org/membership/

Ann with

John Grace

at the Mass

Bee Fall

2018

Meeting.

We learned

so much.

2020 Mass Bee Field Day Cancelled

Discussions with UMass authorities have led to the cancellation of the 2020 Massachusetts Beekeepers Association Field Day scheduled for June 13th on the UMass campus due to the care and concern of public health safety from the CORVID 19 virus. Field Day will not be rescheduled in 2020 yet will be held in June

2021.

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SUMMER 2020 NEWSLETTER THE MASSACHUSETTS BEE

Massachusetts Beekeepers

Association Membership

Application*

Application Date: _____________________________

New: _____________ Renewal: _________________

Check #: ________ Amount: $________________

*All Memberships run from January 1st through December 31st in a given year.

NAME(S): _________________________________________________________________________________

ORGANIZATION/COUNTY BEEKEEPING ASSOCIATION: __________________________________________

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP TYPE: Individual $ 15.00 ____________

Family $ 25.00 ____________

Organization $50.00 ____________

ADDRESS: ________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

EMAIL: ___________________________________________________________________________________

PHONE: __________________________________________________________________________________

County Beekeeping Association: ______________________________________________________________

Completed applications along with payment made out to the “MBA” should be mailed to:

MBA Memberships

PO BOX 232

Marion, MA 02738

Applications may also be emailed to [email protected]

This Membership Application can also be downloaded from our web site www.massbee.org

Annual membership dues are subject to change; please check our web site for current information.